


Honour

by california_112



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Domestic, FPC: 23 | Honour, Fifty Prompt Challenge, Gen, My First Work in This Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:29:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25308277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/california_112/pseuds/california_112
Summary: The desk that Sherlock and John shared was, in fact, tidier, with one end covered in neatly stacked with books and papers. The middle was a no-man's-land of sorting space, and the area near the wall was just as bad as it had been before. Next to all this, the instigator of organisation, John Watson stood holding a thick file.-or-John is doing a bit of tidying, and finds a file that that Sherlock would rather keep hidden.ABSOLUTELY 0% SPOILERS FOR ANYTHINGThis is part of the Fifty Prompt Challenge, 23 - Honour.
Kudos: 6





	Honour

"Sherlock, I was cleaning the desk, and I-"

"You were _what?_ "

The figure that had been huddled on the sofa uncurled quickly, looking across the room with disdainful suspicion. The desk that Sherlock and John shared was, in fact, tidier, with one end covered in neatly stacked with books and papers. The middle was a no-man's-land of sorting space, and the area near the wall was just as bad as it had been before. Next to all this, the instigator of organisation, John Watson stood holding a thick file. The manila folder had been bound around the middle with red tape, contained far more paper tan seemed possible, and generally looking as though it had been beaten up several times.

"-I found this in one of the drawers at the back." it was set down on the table with a distinctive thump, and John reached for some scissors. "Do you know what it is?"

"Ye- no!" Sherlock replied, getting up quickly. "No, not at all, I'm sure it's something really boring, bills or whatever." Sherlock hurried to the table attempting to seem nonchalant, and tried to pick the file up. "Why don't I just-"

John was quicker, pulling it away from his flatmate. "No, I need to sort it out, properly. I don't want to find it stuffed behind a cushion in three days time." He slit the tape neatly, opening the file at random, and started to read.

Trying to hide his reddening face, Sherlock half turned towards the sofa again, but then didn't want to walk away. John made a noise of confusion.

"Sherlock, are these case notes?"

"Yes, yes they are," Sherlock replied, trying for the easy way out, "just old case notes, how very boring." he tried to swipe them again, but John was engrossed.

"I didn't know you kept case notes?"

"No, well…no."

Silence fell, and Sherlock watched his friend for any further reactions. After a minute, John looked up at him, enquiring.

"How did it end, then?"

"What?"

"This painting, who actually stole it?"

Sherlock sighed. "You're going to have to be a little more specific. I got lots of 'stolen' paintings. Usually it was just for insurance, but-"

"Sherlock," John pressed, "what was the conclusion?"

They were staring each other down across the table, John half bent over the file whilst Sherlock stood, trying not to fidget.

"I don't know." he replied, quickly and in a small voice, grabbing the file in a lightning sweep before John could do anything.

To his surprise, John didn’t move a muscle, except the slow smile spreading across his face. "You _don't know?_ "

"No, I don't!" Sherlock cried defensively. "It was there one minute and gone the next, seven suspects and all of them with perfect alibis, completely rock solid, and I don't know which one did it." he was clutching the file to his chest, looking like a wounded puppy.

John took a seat, trying not to laugh.

"Why didn't you tell me about these before?"

Sherlock quickly became defensive. "It's a matter of honour, John, I always solve my cases. Except…these few." He turned away, stalking to his room with a mutter of 'I'll deal with them…'. John chuckled, and went back to his sorting. How very Sherlock of him, keeping notes on unsolved cases but not wanting to look at them ever again…and apparently, Sherlock believed in honour. He learned something new about that man every day.

**Author's Note:**

> quite enjoyed this
> 
> Aaah I hope they're recognizable...I had to rewatch series two to get back into the characters for this, but I'm still not sure it came out well :'). Hope you enjoyed!


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